Improvement in water-tanks for fire-proof safes



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETGE.

EDWARD H. PARKER, OF .lOl/TGHKEPSIE, NEWT YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-TANKS FOR FIRE-PROOF SAFES, &c.

Spejtcation formirg part of Letters Patent No. 147,68 l dated February 17, 1874; application filed May 31, 1873.

To alt whom it may concern Beit known that I, EDWARD H. PARKER, ot' Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Self-Acting Safety-Tank for Safes, Vaults, &e., ot' which the following is a speciiication In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a front View of my improved safetyta-nk for safes, vaults, &e.; Fig. 2, a vertical section ot' the sameon the line c c, Fig. l; and Fig. 3, a detail vertical longitudinal section of one of the self-actin g valves of the tank.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

rEhe invention consists in providing a watertank for safes, Cre., with a Valve having shouldered head, disl'i-closed recess, and a melting mixture, with an outer protecting layer, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, A represents the tank, ot' metal, glass, earthenware, hard rubber, vor other suitable materials.

The shape of the tank is such as will lit any spare space in safes already built, or in new sat'es of such shape as is best adapted. The

t-.rnk may be made to tit into one ofthe bookstalls, or hun up to the top, or in any other manner.

Each tank is provided at its upper side with an opening, a, `which may be closed air-tight by the metallic or hard rubber cap b.

The water is iilled in through the opening or feed a., and the development of fungi in it is eft'ectually prevented by adding proper proportions ot' carbolic acid or cresylic acid, or both. The air-tight closing ot' the tank prevents the evaporation ot the water, and the mildewing ofV the contents ot' the sate.

Two or more openings, rl, are made near the top and bottom ot' the tank, preferably one at each side, so that whatever position the tank may take in the sate, or on which side the safe may be tumbled, the water in the tank may be discl1arged.` Small tubes, c, are soldered or otherwise connected to the opeuingscil, and provided with a screw-thread at their outer side, over which the Valves B are placed. The valves B may also be screwed directly into the tank A. The valves Bare made of any suitable meta-l, and have a projecting head, j', with recess g, as indicated in Fig. 3. 'The diameter of the head f is about twice that ot' the opening d, and head f is provided with an inner flange, 7e, and face flange or shoulder h. The recess g of valve B is closed up by placing on the opening toward the tank a disk, 1'., of thin rubber or metal, resting on the inner ila-nge h. rlhe remainder of recess g is then filled with a mixture ot' beeswax and plasterof-paris, poured over in 'a melted state, and carefully pressed or hammered in, so as to make the closing perfectly water-tight. The outer surface of the mixture is smoothed oli' and covered with a solution of shellac, or with a layer of thin meta-l, to protect it from insects and t-he action of the atmosphere. The thickness of the wax mixture corresponds to the hydrostatic pressure of the water, and Varies with different sizes oi' tanks. The disk fi protects the inner surface of the closing mixture from the action of the tank-water.

The tank, being closed air and water-tight, is placed into the safe or. vault. In case ot' lire, the increase of temperature to about 1500 Fahrenheit will melt the wax, and it will run out of the recesses g, the hydrostatic pressure forcing at the same time the rubber disks from the inner openings and allowin the water to escape. The upper valves of the tank admit the air, so that an uninterrupted dow of water is established.

The 'ater in the tanks may be replaced by opening the feed and screwing oftl one of the lower valves, till the water has run out. The valve is then screwed-on again, the tankreiilled, and the feed cap placed on the top opening, the tank bein g ready to fulfill its deslgn.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The valve l, having head j', with shoulders It h and recess' g, closed by disk fi, and melting mixture with outer protecting layer, substantiall y as and for the purpose described. EDVVAR-D H. PARKER. W'itnesses W. FARRINGTON,

JNO. I. M. TALLMAN. 

